Royals face key deadline regarding Salvador Perez’s club option for 2026 season
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Royals must decide on Salvador Perez's $13.5M 2026 club option within three days.
- Perez delivered 30 homers and 100 RBIs in 2025 and remains primary catcher for the Royals.
- Club will weigh option pickup, short-term extension and the emergence of Carter Jensen.
The Kansas City Royals are facing a major decision this week.
After the conclusion of the World Series on Saturday, the Royals must decide on club options. The Royals will make decisions on multiple players with one of the biggest question marks being nine-time All-Star and longtime catcher Salvador Perez.
Perez is expected to stay with the Royals in 2026. Royals general manager J.J. Picollo made that stance clear following the conclusion of the regular season.
“I think it’s safe to say that one way or another, Salvy will be in a Royals uniform in ‘26,” Picollo said. “What we do beyond that is still to be determined. But there are some things that we still need to work through and talk about.”
The Royals will take a deeper look at Perez’s long-term future. There’s a $13.5 million club option that Perez could play on after his production remained steady in his age-35 season.
Perez hit .236 with 30 home runs and 100 RBIs in 155 games. He also made history becoming the eighth primary catcher in MLB history to record 300 or more homers. Perez eclipsed 1,000 career RBIs during the year.
In 2022, Perez signed a four-year contract extension worth $82 million. He’s made good on the deal with a .747 OPS (on-base plus slugging) and a 6.1 WAR (wins above replacement) in 567 games so far.
At the time, Perez was 31 years old and coming off a career season in 2021. He had finished seventh in American League MVP voting and led the league with 48 home runs during the memorable campaign.
The Royals continued to roll with him at catcher. Perez made at least 75 starts behind the plate while also spending time at first base and designated hitter.
It’s important to the Royals that Perez remains behind the plate. He is regarded as one of the top AL catchers and is on the fast track toward the National Baseball Hall of Fame. However, the Royals also understand being a full-time catcher is an arduous task.
Perez will turn 36 years old next season. It’s fair to question how much he can withstand full-time behind the plate.
Over the years, Perez has often said he would like to play until he is 40. His production has given the Royals a reason to allow him to catch consistently.
“I always want to be a Royal and I want to stay here for the rest of my career,” Perez said.
However, the club has also begun to look at the future. This season, Royals top prospect Carter Jensen arrived in Kansas City. Jensen — who is a KCMO native — made his MLB debut in September.
Jensen, 21, posted a .300 batting average with three home runs and 13 RBIs in 20 games. He also adjusted to the Royals quickly. Jensen spent the vast majority of his time adapting to the pitching staff and forging a bond with teammates.
It’s likely that Jensen becomes the backup catcher next season. He will continue to serve as the understudy to Perez and the eventual successor.
The Royals will have to factor Jensen — alongside other top catching prospects Blake Mitchell and Ramon Ramirez — into their discussions with Perez.
Royals’ options with Salvador Perez
So how can the Royals and Perez come to an agreement?
The Royals could simply pick up Perez’s club option and move forward with him playing on his $13.5 million salary next season. It would allow Perez to remain in Kansas City and help the organization make a return trip to the postseason.
In this scenario, the Royals would also extend out their window to possibly agree to a long-term deal. Perez would be under contract in 2026 and the club could decide later to grant him another contract extension.
It would also allow the Royals to evaluate his production and further see if Jensen or potentially Mitchell is ready to handle the catching duties full-time. However, the Royals would open the door to Perez potentially entering free agency after the season.
Perez would be set to hit unrestricted free agent in 2027. If he played well, there could be a host of teams potentially interested in his services — given the DH is used in both leagues.
Another option would be for the Royals and Perez to agree to a short-term extension this offseason. In this scenario, Perez could follow in the footsteps of veteran teammates Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo — who both signed new deals with the Royals.
The Royals gave both pitchers valuable short-term deals. They both have club options attached for the 2028 season.
It’s possible the Royals negotiate a similar deal with Perez. There is interest on both sides for Perez to finish his career with the organization. A fair deal could benefit both Perez and the Royals as they build for the future while remaining competitive.
The Royals understand how much Perez means to the franchise. He is one of a few players to be named team captain and continues to play at a high level.
There will be key decisions made on how to improve the active roster. The Royals need another impact bat to support a young core including Bobby Witt Jr., Maikel Garcia and Vinnie Pasquantino. The club also has Jensen and fellow phenom Jac Caglianone ready to embark on their first full MLB season.
Perez is the anchor in the Royals lineup. His presence on and off the field lifts the entire club and fan base. This offseason, his contract situation could provide insight into the Royals’ plans for the short-term future.
The Royals know what they have in Perez. He is a franchise icon and someone who embodies Kansas City culture. As he returns for his 15th MLB season, the onus is on both sides to figure out what’s in their best interest going forward.
This story was originally published November 3, 2025 at 12:48 PM with the headline "Royals face key deadline regarding Salvador Perez’s club option for 2026 season."
